PIAA and College wrestling official Rob Butka works a few wrestle-off matches inside the West Scranton wrestling room. New college wrestling rules are keeping all officials and coaches on their toes. Changes were made at the top levels of the wrestling world to make the sport more attractive to the fans and it's moving towards the high-school level too.
"At the college level there's more of a change. Their emphasizing scoring-beyond reaction time is now striction from the book where wrestling will just continue upon any type of take down at all. Where high-school hasn't changed as much, but over the course of the past five or six years the high-school federation is moving in the direction of the college. Their main emphasis is scoring in the matches offensive and defensive scoring," said Rob Butka.
"When this wrestler hits here as soon as he posts on the mat right there like that right there now the referee is going to be rewarding the two points right there. That's where that's going to come in. Beyond reaction time is now striction from the rule book," again said Rob.
Paul Fox is the West Scranton head wrestling coach.
"What are you expecting this year from the scoring at a high-school level? I think they will be a lot more scoring since they want to push the level. I think you will see a lot of quicker pins, maybe a quicker back points just a lot quicker calls," said Paul Fox.
And another rule change at the collegiate level is the in bounds/out-of-bounds area or wrestling on the edge. Right now during a take down or fall collegiate wrestlers only needs to have a toe inside that cylinder for points. At the high-school level they have yet to adopt those changes basically because of safety there's just not enough room inside those guys.
"First tournament I did we had pins that we're called and every match since pins that we're called way out-of-bounds where kids would push themselves out and think they we're safe there's no safety anywhere now," added Rob.
Jimmy Forsette is a 113 pound sophomore for the Invaders. He won 29 matches a year ago and a District title. His style fits what the sport wants. Scoring.
"I like the wrestling to be more fast paced not defensive, but offensive all throughout both wrestlers just pushing and giving it all throughout the whole match even if it goes to overtime just pushing-pushing," said Jimmy Forsette.